Irish Language Cheers Adaptation in Development

Taking a break from all your worries involves adapting things that work into other things that (ideally) also work.

One nation adapting another nation’s television series for their audience is old-hat these days. There isn’t typically a 20-year break between the iterations, though.

There’s an exception to any tried and true rule, however, and so, in somewhat surprising news, EW is reporting that an Irish version of Cheers is in the works.

Sideline, a Dublin-based production company is working on an Irish-language (which we assume means Gaeilge) adaptation of the popular Boston bar-set sitcom which ran from 1982-1993 in the United States. Tentatively titled Teach Seán, the series will feature a Sam Malone-like character as the lead. In other words, a recovering alcoholic who owns a bar, the difference will be that in the Irish show he will be a “former hurling star” as opposed to a baseball player.

There is no confirmation that characters based on Cheers’ Diane, Woody, Carla, Norm, Cliff or Coach will appear in the show. One would only hope, though.

“I know some people think it’s crazy,” Sideline creative director Billy McGrath told The Irish Film and Television Network in a statement. “Sideline is now focused on both scripted and non-scripted formats. Is re-producing Cheers any different than us producing a version of Mastermind, Take Me Out or The Great British Bake Off for Irish viewers?”

Having never heard of any of the aforementioned programing, I cannot respond to McGrath’s likely rhetorical question. Wagering a guess, though, I’d say…probably? Either way, it would be interesting to see how an Irish version of this beloved American television series would play out.

Roth Cornet is an Entertainment Editor for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @RothCornet and IGN at Roth-IGN.